Thirteen people arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

A new investigation into the Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong's Tai Po found that the faulty renovation netting did not meet fire safety standards.

"The seven samples we found are not up to code for fire resistance. For many specimens that are easily reached, the degree of code compliance is relatively large," said Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung.

"They placed these protective nets on the scaffolding of each building, hoping to pass off inferior goods as superior ones," added Woo Ying-ming, Commissioner of the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption.

The fire which erupted on Thursday November 27, 2025 spread through seven of the estate’s eight towers.

The buildings were under renovation and wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green netting.

Investigators said cheaper, substandard mesh was mixed with proper material and hidden in places inspectors were unlikely to detect.

Authorities also confirmed that flammable foam sheets used to seal windows may have intensified the blaze.

The official death toll rose to 151 people as of the time of this report.

Authorities said those arrested included contractors, consultants and scaffolding supervisors, but more arrests are possible.

Meanwhile, the Buildings Department ordered citywide checks on temporary coverings, with unsafe materials removed and fire-safety reports demanded from contractors